he's 52, fifty two years old

And he can kick, and kick, and no, no, no. He'd better take it easy on his back.

We planned a party for tomorrow night, but Heidi and Joe are going to visit his mom tomorrow and stay over night, so we had a little party tonight too.

There she is scouring the mixed vegetables, looking pretty happy about it.  Like that bib?  It even covers her FEET.

These two are playing hang man, somewhat successfully. It went better when Lydia started recording all the letters Julia guessed so she didn't keep guessing O over and over.

He made supper last night while I was working, bbq pork chops and potato salad.  Pretty delicious, it was.

She just wants Sidney SO MUCH.    Sidney is so not into it.

This was one of Jay's gifts and Tim was very excited about this contraption.  It's a cart that flips in three different forms for moving heavy things. 

We hid it in Lydia's room, so Dad wouldn't find it, and I guess they were up in the room playing with this thing all last night and today.  Goodness.

Tonight they brought it bumping loudly down the stairway, and when he heard the racket, he closed his eyes so he'd be ready for the surprise.

There it is.

Here are his other gifts,  peanut M &Ms, pistachios, and these very thoughtful gifts: a gift certificate to a restaurant he's seen on Diners, Dives, and Drive-Ins which looks very cool, Cuban food. Kirsten says he's talked about this restaurant so many times she had to find it and buy him a meal there.

Aww, that's pretty impressive.

And from Joe and Heidi a filet knife Joe chose after significant research on the internet. 

He did?  He didn't just run into Fleet Farm and grab a knife?  Oh, no.  The blade on this one is from Sweden.

Wow, seems pretty high class for the little sunnies and crappies we catch at the lake.

James noticed it cut open the bag of M&Ms pretty nicely.  (PUT that thing away!)

Here they are playing with the cart some more.

Now they're giving Dad a ride out in the kitchen.

Tim was so into this cart, I couldn't help but laugh.

Now for the candles--instead of fifty two candles, we went with a group of five and a group of two. That worked.

I love you, Mister. 

Thirty-five years ago we met, and a month later went on a date, and now we're here, still us.  Somehow a community of family grew all over the place, and I've never wished for a life different from the one we have.   And I never want anybody else except you.  

Happy Birthday, Bud.  love, Me